PSG's 10 most expensive transfers of all time

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 16 Nov 2023 16:34 GMT
• 7 min read

Paris Saint-Germain have established themselves as major players on the European scene over the last decade, largely thanks to their enormous transfer spending.

Although other clubs have spent more than the Parisians in recent years, PSG have made themselves known thanks to some particularly lavish deals.

These have not yet led them to the Champions League title, but that remains the goal for the Parc des Princes side, who have become French football's leading lights since the 2010s.

READ MORE: What are the most expensive transfers of all time? The 50 highest fees in history

Their victory in the 2022-23 season secured their ninth Ligue 1 title in nine in just 11 seasons, while they finished as runners-up in both 2016-17 and 2020-21. AS Monaco won the former and Lille won the latter.

With PSG now known for their lucrative spending under Nasser Al-Khelaifi, it's no surprise their 10 most expensive signings have been extremely costly.

Below, FootballTransfers lists PSG's most expensive transfers of all time.

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10. David Luiz – €49.5m (from Chelsea, 2014)

PSG’s only major signing of the 2014 summer transfer window was a big one as they signed David Luiz from Chelsea while Brazil were still very much in the throes of their home World Cup.

Although a player with a reputation of being a better footballer than defender, David Luiz actually did a great deal of good with PSG, where he teamed up with international colleagues Marquinhos and Thiago Silva in defence.

Still, he failed to justify his price tag, which was a world record for a defender at the time, and moved back to Chelsea just two years later for a significant price cut.

9. Mauro Icardi - €50m (from Inter, 2020)

Having spent the 2019-20 season on loan, PSG were sufficiently convinced by Icardi to make him a big-money addition in the mid-pandemic transfer window.

Although they were able to negotiate a discount on the envisaged fee of around €60m, PSG did not received value for money from the forward.

Sure, he bagged goals, but when not scoring, he offered the team little else and he joined Galatasaray on loan for the 2022-23 season before signing for the Turkish club for €10m.

8. Ousmane Dembele – €50m (from Barcelona, 2023)

PSG made Ousmane Dembele their eighth-most expensive signing of all-time when he joined from Barcelona for €50m in 2023.

The Frenchman had endured a mixed time at Camp Nou, but left having overcome the injury issues that had plagued his early years at the club.

Dembele departed Barca with 40 goals and 43 assists in 185 appearances.

7. Manuel Ugarte - €60m (from Sporting, 2023)

Manuel Ugarte became PSG's seventh-most expensive signing in history when he swapped the green and white of Sporting CP for life in the French capital during the 2023 summer transfer window.

The Portuguese midfielder had previously been linked with a move to Chelsea, but reports emerged that PSG were willing to pay Ugarte higher wages, and the Uruguayan duly signed for the Parisians on 7 July aged 22.

He left Sporting having made 85 appearances for the club.

6. Angel Di Maria - €63m (from Man Utd, 2015)

An expensive flop at Manchester United, PSG swooped to take advantage of Di Maria’s unhappiness in the Premier League by snapping him up a little more than 12 months after he had played a vital role in helping Real Madrid win the Champions League.

Where Man Utd failed to get production from Di Maria, PSG succeeded, with the Argentine becoming one of their most consistently effective players over the course of his stay at the club.

Approaching the twilight of his career, Di Maria joined Juventus in 2022 before returning to Benfica, while he won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.

5. Edinson Cavani - €64.5m (from Napoli, 2013)

When PSG signed Edinson Cavani, he was regarded as one of the deadliest strikers in Europe and arrived as a response to Monaco’s capture of Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid.

Cavani’s goal-scoring potential was rarely fully exploited in Paris, though. Often, he was shunted out to the wing as Ibrahimovic took centre stage. While Cavani admitted this was not ideal, his attitude was exemplary throughout and he briefly became the club's all-time record goal-scorer before Kylian Mbappe eclipsed his tally of 200 strikes.

The Uruguay star snetted 49 times in 50 games in the season after Ibra departed, but was then quickly overshadowed by Neymar and Mbappe.

4. Achraf Hakimi - €68m (from Inter, 2021)

Despite the financial impact of the pandemic hitting most of their rivals in the pocket, PSG powered on with marquee signings in the summer transfer window and signed right-wing-back Achraf Hakimi from Inter for €68m.

Off the back of an impressive season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, the Morrocan defender then made the move to Serie A and played a pivotal role in the Italian giants claiming their first league title in over 10 years.

As such, Hakimi arrived in Paris as one of the most celebrated defenders in European football and one of the most expensive too.

3. Randal Kolo Muani - €95m (from Eintracht Frankfurt, 2023)

Just one year after joining Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer from Nantes, Randal Kolo Muani signed for PSG for a whopping €95m after an impressive campaign in Germany.

The Frenchman scored 23 goals and provided 17 assists during his sole season at Eintracht, while he also established himself as a regular in the France international set-up after catching the eye at the World Cup.

Kolo Muani also scored three goals in four games during the 2023-24 season before joining PSG.

2. Kylian Mbappe - €180m (from Monaco, 2018)

Mbappe initially arrived at PSG in 2017 on loan from Monaco, although the deal was structured in such a way that it was effectively a transfer.

Indeed, PSG needed only to avoid relegation for it to be made permanent and Mbappe to become the most expensive teenager ever.

At PSG, who paid €180m for his services, Mbappe has grown from prodigious youngster to global superstar, although his stay in the French capital remains uncertain amid ongoing interest from Real Madrid.

His time in Paris have only continued to suggest he will take up the mantle from Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the game’s next global star.

1. Neymar – €222m (from Barcelona, 2017)

The transfer that shook the world. Nobody thought a deal of such magnitude was possible when Neymar moved to PSG for €222m as the Ligue 1 side matched the minimum fee release clause on the Brazilian’s Barcelona contract.

The Parisians even flexed their financial muscles by agreeing to pay the full amount immediately.

Neymar’s raw numbers with PSG were formidable – he notched over 110 goals and over 75 assists for the club – though an unhappy knack of being injured at key times of the season contributed to preventing the Brazilian from completing his ambition of winning the Champions League in Paris.

He left to join Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal for €90m in 2023.

The 10 most expensive PSG signings of all time

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